December 10, 2020
Orere Point to Kopu
Hill, coast and mangroves.
After rainy night, the suns out. We dine on muesli, fruit and yoghurt- missing toast a bit but the coffee brings us to life. After initial clouds, the suns out and 25 degrees is forecast. We load up, make a quick check, thank our host and are on our way.
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Between us and the coast, there’s a climb or two, but nothing too taxing. The overall impression is of farmland, bush, wild roses and skylarks twittering away in the blue. Apparently they were introduced to NZ by sentimental English settlers. Soon we’re on a long downhill which takes us all the way to the coast and the sound of the waves of the Firth of Thames or Waihou River as it was formerly known. Cook thought it bore a resemblance to the English Thames.
It’s a leisurely ride along the coast then, with little road traffic. Across the water is the blue silhouette of the Coromandel and on the water are a few boats fishing as well as some activity around a mussel farm. There are also several regional parks in the area.
At Kaiaua, a little further south, we debate whether to wait half an hour until the world famous fish n chips shop opens. Instead we lunch under a Pohutukawa on a healthy repast of cheese apples tomatoes and nuts and feel all the better for it. The cycle path starts here, but the road has a better surface and no traffic, so we continue on to Miranda (Pukorokoro). Here we visit the Bird sanctuary information centre which has displays explaining the incredible voyage of the Godwit, the birds which fly from Kaiaua to Alaska every year.
From Miranda, we move onto the cycle path in order to avoid the busy road. This path, though unsealed, is well compacted and easy to make good progress on. Which is good because it covers a considerably longer distance than we had calculated, following the shoreline. It is beautiful and solitary and wild though, with lots of bird life- Yellow Hammers, Herons, Skylarks. Every few hundred metres disturbed Pukekos come hurtling out of the foliage along the path. Some look very disturbed. There are also bait stations set with the intention of curbing predators.
We stop for another food break at Waitakaruru and put on jackets as it’s getting showery. The toilets have a shelter in front. We watch a series of locals drive in convoy through a stop sign. One young driver takes a swig from a bottle of steinlager before rocketing away. I’d like to think it was lite beer. Then we are back to more wetlands- I reflect that it’s a little like the Camargue but without the white horses....or the flamingos. Actually, there is more visible bird life than we saw there.
The wind from the sea slows us and we’re tiring a little when at last we reach the new Kopu Bridge. This replacement for the old, wooden, one-way affair is a vast improvement with a separated cycle way. We stop halfway across and look down at the slow moving brown expanse of water. At one time these rivers provided the most convenient form of transport to the interior.
Within a couple of short kilometres we find Pheasant Cottage at the end of a long treed driveway and and beside a big house with a very big car parked outside. Cherie, our host, welcomes us and provides us with all we need for our stay. She explains that one of their businesses is growing and selling Christmas trees and they are all sold. Tis indeed the season to be jolly! We dine on chilli beef wraps, make use of the washing machine, admire the all white decor, with the stuffed pheasant flying off the wall and retire. At the back of my mind is a nagging thought- motels and stuffed birds. Now where......
Today's ride: 72 km (45 miles)
Total: 135 km (84 miles)
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